Eastend, Saskatchewan, Canada

Eastend, population 650 is located in the Valley of Hidden Secrets on highway 13 in Southwest Saskatchewan. This highway is also known as the Red Coat Trail because it was near the route taken by the Northwest Mounted Police when they came west to set up a police force in the 1870's. We are situated approximately one hour from the Alberta border and 45 minutes from the Montana border.

One of the first ranches along the Frenchman River was the Z-X Ranch. The original ranch house still sits in present day Eastend, as it has for nearly 100 years.

In the early 1870’s a small group to white traders and Metis’ scouts led the Hudson Bay Trading Company to establish a post on the eastern slopes of the Cypress Hills. That first and only winter, Issac Cowie, traded for 750 Plains Grizzly bear and 1500 elk hides. The Hudson Bay Co. only traded for one season, competition from whiskey selling independent traders and the tense situation between Assiniboine and Blackfoot made it unsafe for Cowie to remain. In the spring, Cowie decided to abandon the post. After Cowie left the post it was burned to the ground. In 1873 some 60 Metis’ families settled in the coulee, then called Chapel Coulee, complete with a church and a visiting Roman Catholic priest on a regular circuit. In 1879 the NWMP established a post on the same site as the Hudson Bay Trading Post and part of the Metis’ village. This was the most easterly detachment from the newly built Fort Walsh. The small detachment at the east end post was to watch over the ever growing number of Sioux who had fled from the Battle of the Little Big Horn.

In 1887, the whiskey trading had been curtailed, the Riel Rebellion was over and Sitting Bull had returned home. It was at this time that the post was moved closer to the present location of EASTEND, along the White Mud River, (Frenchman River). Thus the town of Eastend began as the Cypress Hills most eastern detachment from Fort Walsh, and was at the east end of their patrol. That’s is how a town on the western side of Saskatchewan received the name EASTEND.

In 1914 the CPR laid the track into the ranching community that had began to form near the NWMP detachment. Eastend was incorporated as a village on March 30, 1914 and as a town on May 1, 1920. Eastend continues to this day to be a small rural Saskatchewan community with a clear vision of its future.

Our  town also boasts a nine - hole, grass green, watered fairway course. Streambank Golf Course 9 holes, Grass Greens Clubhouse and club rentals. Located in the town of Eastend. Reservations are not required. An indoor swimming pool is in operation from May to September each year. Swimming lessons are offered during the summer months. Ball diamonds can also be found in the town, located at the school and in the campground area next to the Frenchman River. Local teams and tournament play are offered throughout the summer months. The rink complex in the town of Eastend houses three sheets of artificial curling ice, as well as a full size artificial hockey surface. Curling, hockey and figure skating are offered throughout the winter months.

Aerial View of Eastend taken summer of 2001.
Around 8 miles southwest of town at 43000 ft.altitude.